Rajnath chairs high level meeting to discuss Haryana violence

New Delhi: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday chaired a high-level meeting to review the security situation in Haryana following the violence there that left 31 dead after Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim’s conviction in a rape case.

The meeting, held at Rajnath Singh’s residence, lasted for over two and a half hours. It was attended by National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi, Intelligence Bureau (IB) chief Rajiv Jain and other Home Ministry officials.

After the meeting, Mehrishi told reporters, “Three issues were discussed during the meeting.”

“The Home Minister discussed the law and order situation in Haryana after the court verdict. He also spoke to the Director General of Police (DGP) of the state, who told him that after the verdict the situation in Panchkula and Sirsa were tense, but now it has normalised. In this ongoing situation we can’t blame anyone,” the Homes Secretary said.

The security of Delhi, Punjab and Rajasthan was also discussed at the meeting.

“Punjab and Delhi didn’t see as many incidents after the court verdict. But the small incidents that happened here were controlled in time,” he said.

At least 31 people died after violence erupted in Haryana’s Panchkula town after a CBI court convicted the Dera chief in a rape case.

His supporters went berserk and set ablaze vehicles and damaged properties in Panchkula.

Mehrishi said the Home Minister also discussed the ongoing gunfight in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district, where three security personnel were killed earlier in the day.

“The other issue discussed was the ongoing encounter in Pulwama…two to four terrorists are still trapped,” he said, adding that a house was also set ablaze.

“Two SPOs are there. Not sure whether they are safe. Some danger to their life still exists,” Mehrishi added.